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Jenny Mennenga farms corn and soybean in central Illinois. Similar to farmers throughout the country, Mennenga has had to work hard to keep her family farm's acres free of herbicide-resistant super weeds.

Chicken wings and ground turkey may become safer if the U.S. Department of Agriculture passes new standards to limit the presence of salmonella. According to government reports, poultry products cause more food-borne illness deaths than any other commodity.

In the coming decade, U.S. farmers should prepare for lower crop prices, costlier production expenses and a sudden end to the abnormally high net incomes of 2013 and 2014. Taxpayers, in turn, should expect more of their dollars going to offset farm losses.

The Farm Bill passed by Congress a year ago will have far reaching effects on federal conservation efforts throughout the Midwest. The bill slashed conservation funding by $4 billion and reduced the number of acres allowed into the Conservation Reserve Program by millions.

Labor

An attempted crackdown on minimum wage and child labor violations at berry farms in the Pacific Northwest has sparked a backlash that threatens one of the U.S. Labor Department’s most potent tools for enforcing protections for farm workers. At issue is the little-known “hot goods” provision of federal wage law.

The federal crop insurance program has – once again – come under fire for giving farmers too many subsidies and costing the American taxpayer too much money. This time, the attempt to restructure what many in the agriculture industry refer to as the main “safety net for farmers” comes from the White House and Congress.

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Despite opposition from food-safety and environmental advocates, the U.S. Department of Agriculture deregulated two genetically engineered Monsanto crops last month. The St. Louis-based company’s genetically modified soybean and cotton seeds are designed to withstand the rarely used weed killer dicamba, meaning farmers could add the herbicide to the commonly used one, glyphosate, which weeds have grown to resist.

To counter a “super weed” epidemic plaguing farmers, agribusiness giant Monsanto is steadily moving forward on the introduction of its next major wave of genetically engineered crops. But – citing environmental and sustainability concerns – critics argue that step forward is actually a substantial leap back. Similar to bacteria that have adapted to frequently used antibiotics over time, super weeds have gained immunity to herbicides.

After making record profits from 2007 through 2013, farmers in Champaign County, Ill., who rent their land are likely to lose money on both corn and soybeans in this year and next, said a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign economist. Across the state, 2014 saw record highs for cash rent. In Champaign County, the average cash renter pays $253 per acre.

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In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a forward-looking reporting on the state of U.S. agriculture. The department's Economic Research Service took the lead on the report, which outlines U.S. agricultural production and trade through 2024. Here are the highlights in one graphic. Continue Reading

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released its agriculture projections, which run through 2024. The projections bring good news for those in the livestock industry, as U.S. meat exports are expected to grow. Continue Reading

The Farm Bill passed by Congress a year ago will have far reaching effects on federal conservation efforts throughout the Midwest. The bill slashed conservation funding by $4 billion and reduced the number of acres allowed into the Conservation Reserve Program by millions. Continue Reading

The federal crop insurance program has – once again – come under fire for giving farmers too many subsidies and costing the American taxpayer too much money. This time, the attempt to restructure what many in the agriculture industry refer to as the main “safety net for farmers” comes from the White House and Congress. Continue Reading

Jenny Mennenga farms corn and soybean in central Illinois. Similar to farmers throughout the country, Mennenga has had to work hard to keep her family farm's acres free of herbicide-resistant super weeds. Continue Reading

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ByRobert Holly | February 6, 2015

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ByClaire Everett | February 3, 2015

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Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers official withdrew a piece of the Waters of the U.S. rule. The interpretive rule sought to clarify farming exemptions under Section 404 of the Clean water Act. Continue Reading

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The Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting is an independent, nonprofit newsroom devoted to educating the public about crucial issues in the Midwest with a special focus on agribusiness and related topics such as government programs, environment and energy. Learn More »